Why Italy is the Perfect Destination for Foodies

Italy is a destination synonymous with beautiful architecture, a rich cultural heritage and gorgeous landscapes. It is also, of course, globally famous for its delicious cuisine which is by far one of the most well recognised and popular in the world. For many though, pizza and pasta are the dishes that they most equate with Italian food, as well as ice-cream, coffee and wine. While these are all undoubtedly popular across Italy, there are so many more gastronomic delights for you to discover when you visit!

Italy has a very strong tradition of regionally specific dishes, so up until now if you have only equated Italian food with pizza and pasta, you will be astonished by the variety that truly exists across this incredible country. What you will also notice is that there are so many more varieties of pizza or pasta than you will likely have tried, especially if you have only ever eaten these in the generic Italian restaurants that exist in the UK or other European countries.

One of the most characteristic traits of cuisine in Italy is how much care, attention and love goes into it, whether that is in restaurants, the home or the hotels or resorts you may stay at. For Italians food is so much more than just fuel to keep them going, it is completely embedded in their culture and way of life. Some of the food and drink that people in other countries eat such as baked beans on toast, instant coffee or microwave ready meals, would quite frankly disgust most Italians. When you try the food in Italy you will see why!

Food is seen as a way of bringing friends and family together to mutually appreciate something that has taken time and skill to cook. Italians prefer fresh ingredients, that are ideally locally sourced, often from the vibrant food markets that exist in almost every village or town.

Italy is a relatively small country but between the 20 different regions that it is made up from, there are very distinct characteristics. One of the factors that makes Italian food so fascinating is that the same dishes are often made in vastly different ways. This is the case even down to the level of individual villages and towns there are proud specialities, with their inhabitants working hard to maintain these important traditions. People’s identities are defined in Italy as much by their cooking as by their dialects and traditional costumes.

Because of this, a trip across Italy is a dream come true if you sick of bland, uninspiring food in your own country. In every part of Italy, whether that is a small village or a bustling city like the capital Rome, you will find a huge range of delicious food delicacies to make your mouth water and taste buds come alive. The variations in Italian cuisine have been shaped by climatic, geographical and historical differences: there some are hilly regions by the sea, others are mountainous and landlocked; some regions have been influenced by French or Austrian cuisine, others have taken on traditions from Arab or Greek cooking; some parts of Italy have a year-round, warm, sunny Mediterranean climate, others face cold, snowy winters. All of these factors have helped to shape the rich and varied food traditions that exist in modern Italy.

If you have ever had the pleasure to enjoy a meal with an Italian family or group of friends you will see how much they are both enjoying the food and each other’s company. Food is something that people in Italy are very passionate about and this can be seen in how much care they put into creating delicious meals. Italian children often help their parents in the kitchen when they are younger, so a love of cooking is passed down through the generations.

Generally if you eat in an Italian restaurant in Italy whether in a tiny village, or big city, you can be assured that the chefs are skilled, the ingredients fresh and the food will be delicious. This is why Italy is the perfect destination for an enogastronomic journey in search of ancient recipes, simple food inspired by classic Italian cooking, genuine products and innovative creations.

As well as pizza and pasta, the universal symbols of Italian cuisine, you will find a whole host of other world renowned products that make Italy the land of good food. These include Modena balsamic vinegar, Genoa’s pesto, buffalo mozzarella from Campania, Alba truffles, Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese and Parma and San Daniele ham, and cured meats.

Of course you cannot neglect Italian wines which are also some of the best in world. Because of the Italian tradition of producing wines of extraordinary quality, the Ancient Greeks used to call Italy “Enotria.” This tradition lives on with Italian wines sought all over the world. As with Italian food though, tasting Italian wine in the region or even winery where it was produced makes the taste that much more special.